Country Retreat - 45. Ship Wreck

I was in the cafeteria the following day at lunchtime when I saw one of the students that I was watching yesterday fast approaching me. “Why were you looking at me and my friend yesterday? Do you think watching people sign is funny?” he demanded to know from me in a clear voice as well as in sign. “I am sorry to learn that your brother – Jordan is very sick. Is he any better today?” I signed, “So you were listening in to our sign conversation, that is not cool dude,” he responded also in sign.

“I know and I am sorry for doing that. I have recently completed the Auslan Sign course at TAFE and I want to keep fluent in Auslan Sign, in case I need to use it as part of my future career… Hello, I am Oscar Q Kingston, from Perth, WA,” I said in my voice, as I introduced myself, and he stared at me for some time before eventually giving a small sign and holding out his hand.

“Hello, I am Lance and my friend approaching is Harry. Jordan is a little better today, thanks for asking,” the student said in reply. After shaking my hand as well, Harry and Lance sat down at the same table. “So, what is it that you are studying here at Uni SA?” Harry asked me. “A Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience & Psychology, and I already have a Diploma in Agriculture Science, plus a Cert 4 in Training & Assessment, Cert 4 in Work Health & Safety and a Cert 4 in Auslan Sign Language,” I replied.

“Wow, that is a heck of a lot of studies, and I am guessing you are only about 21?” Lance said in response, “Just turned 22, and yeah I like learning, it helps me with dealing with a few issues I have had in the past as a teenager, that I won’t be going into detail about,” I replied. “Fair enough mate. So what are your plans for next year, when you graduate later this year?” Harry asked.

“Not sure just yet, I have applied to go to a University in the UK to do a Master’s Degree, but I will have to wait and see if I get it or not, and the course doesn’t start until August, so I will have plenty of spare time until then, to maybe do a shorter course,” I replied.

“Ok, that sounds cool, I am doing a degree in Primary Teaching, and I have already completed that same Auslan Language course that you have done,” Harry announced, “I am doing a double degree in Secondary Teaching and Outdoor & Environmental Leadership,” Lance informed me. Hearing this, had me thinking how the family coastal property could be great for specialist youth camps, with all the accommodation and recreation facilities already in place.

Later that day, shortly after arriving back home, and with there being no sign of Giles being home yet, I headed to the study, stopping at the kitchen where a plate of freshly made biscuits where waiting to be eaten. “Yum, thanks,” I called out as I continued to the main study to check on emails and do some research on what else I could do next year in the way of studies. I clicked on the email that was from Marcus, to find out what was happening back home, and the email had a link to a newspaper article.

“Ship towing two barges, forced to cut the towing ropes during a storm on the west coast” was the title of the article and this caught my attention right away. The bi-line was even more interesting. “Two barges caught in storm sink on a reef.” The story continued – “Early this month is one of WA’s expected Autumn coastal storms, a ship from the Karratha that was towing two barges south to Kwinana was forced to release the two barges which resulted in them hitting the reef, just a few hundred metres off the coast, near Breton Bay, approximately 12 kilometres north of the small town of Seabird and 9 kilometres south of Ledge Point.

Inspectors from the Departments of Environmental Protection and Department of Transport - Marine Division, plus the Fremantle Port Authority and the local Shire council have all inspected the site with the assistance of the WA Volunteer Marine Rescue based at Lancelin, who provided the vessel to go out to inspect the sinking site, believed to be very close to the 1929 shipwreck site of the steamer – Venus.”

“Wow,” I said out loud as I dialled a phone number on my mobile. “Hey mate, did you see the link that I sent you?” Marcus asked me when he answered the call. “Yes, I did, from the new article, it sounds like it is near the shipwreck ‘Venus’?” I replied.

“Yeah, I was watching the Marine Rescue vessel from the beach yesterday, they were about 200 metres offshore, about 300 metres down from the shipwreck and about 400 metres north of our pedestrian gate,” Marcus responded. “So directly offshore from the property at the closest point to the beach, that is just all we need with all the publicity, we are going to have onlookers coming to check it out,” I commented.

“Yeah, very true, but Gramps had a meeting with the shire this morning, and they have agreed to assist with placing some large limestone rocks along the beach 500 metres north and south of the newest barge wreck, to stop vehicles from going along the beach,” Marcus informed me. “What about all the bush tracks that have been made?” I asked. “Gramps has spoken to the shire about them too, and jointly they are going to use the north and south boundary fences, to run a low barrier fence to the beach at each end, which is also in line with the proposed rock barrier,” Marcus replied.

“I am glad to hear that. So, what is the spacing going to be between the rocks? Just enough to stop vehicles or ATV quad bikes as well?” I asked. “Well, our quad bike is about 700 mm wide and our newest purchase a UTV Buggy is about 1.4 metres wide, while a standard ute is 1.8 metres wide, so Gramps suggested having the rocks placed 1.2 metres apart and placed in as far as one metre below the low tide mark,” Marcus replied.

“Hope you don’t get bogged getting the rocks into place?” I commented, “No chance, the shire will provide the rocks and one of the front-end-loaders as a backup to our loader,” Marcus replied. “How are the two barges wrecked on the small reef? Nose in or sideways?” I asked, “They are both sideways, I went out on a kayak earlier today with snorkelling gear, and they are about ten metres apart from each other and 200 metres offshore.

They are both flatbed barges with tanks below deck, so I am guessing that both tanks on each barge have holes in them and at low tide, they are just peaking out over the surface, and about a metre below at high tide. I was able to tie the kayak off to a tank door hinge, to go and explore around them, and I spotted a few seals exploring them too, and later, a few were sunning themselves on the deck,” Marcus said.

“Have the barges made any difference with waves onto the beach?” I asked, “Yes, minimal waves where the barges are located, compared to on either end of them to the north and south,” Marcus replied. “So a safe area to swim in then?” I asked, “Yes, I guess you're right there, maybe I might make a few quarter-hourly observations over a few days to see if there are many differences,” Marcus commented.

After the telephone call with Marcus, I called Gramps and we had a lengthy chat, and I mentioned that Marcus was going to do some checks to see what the beach is like directly behind the barges, at different times of the day to see if there are many differences with waves hitting the beach. I also mentioned that I was heading to Canberra for the holidays to catch up with our friends the Tyson family, but I had not notified them of my coming.

The 1-hour and 40-minute flight to Canberra was uneventful, and with just carry-on luggage, I collected the keys for my hire car, before exiting the terminal to locate the car. Having already eaten lunch on the flight, I decided to go and see Jake on his property at Calwell. On finding the front gate locked and remembering that I no longer had keys to access the property, I parked the car a little way back from the gate and proceeded to walk down the road, taking a turn about 80 metres in, to follow the boundary of the pine forest.

After about 300 metres, I reached the old Travelling Stock Route Reserve, which back in the old days was a paddock with a long water trough and a windmill to allow the stock to drink and rest during their long journeys to new pastures. Just 200 metres further was the western boundary of the reserve and the western boundary of Jake’s place, with the old railway station just 70 metres further on, but there was no sign of the Kalamazoo anywhere. “Hey, you? What are you doing here, this is private property,” a young voice called out.

“It is ok Jeff, I know who he is. He is a family friend and your predecessor,” a second and more familiar voice said soon after. “Hey Jake, found a replacement for me, that is good,” I said to the approaching Jake, and we shook hands happy to see each other again. “How are you mate, doing ok in University?” Jake asked me, “Yeah, all good, on a mid-year break and thought I would come and spring a surprise visit on you and your folks,” I replied.

“Mum and Dad are no longer on the main farm, they have retired and moved to a retirement village after Dad had a minor stroke,” Jake informed me, “Oh, I am sorry to hear that mate, are they here in Canberra?” I responded, “Yes, at the Goodwin Retirement Village at Monash. I am sure they will be happy to see you,” Jake replied. After having some afternoon tea with Jake, and he dropped me off back at my car, I headed 15 kilometres north to Symonston, where I had booked my accommodation for the eight-day stay.

Jake was right, his parents were both very pleased to see me when I arrived in the village the following day, and we enjoyed some morning tea and a good long chat during my visit. I did a lot more sightseeing than I had when I was living in Canberra while attending University, and I called in and saw Jake’s parents twice more during my stay, as well as visiting the farm twice more.